Fractured Spirit (Alpha World Book 5)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “Just like running a business anywhere,” Gerald sighed, his eyes locking onto Alburet. “I’m beginning to understand why you were so eager to duck out.”

  Alburet shrugged, “I figured it would turn into a major project. If you recall, I’m really not the person for that kind of thing. You, however, seem to thrive on this kind of thing. Besides, Marysue was all for it, if I remember correctly.”

  “She was indeed,” Gerald replied. “I hope you realize, though, that this is going to curtail some of our hunting time.”

  “Aye, we would nay expect anythin’ else,” Stacia told him.

  “And it’s fine,” Karen added. “We can find ways to kill time while you handle guild business.”

  “It’s more than guild business,” Marysue added as she crossed the room to them. “He is a Lord now. That gives him a number of other duties that will also take up his time. I’ve already offered my help.”

  Gerald’s gaze softened as he looked at Marysue. “I will gladly accept your aid. In fact, I plan to delegate as much of this load as I can.”

  “I know,” Marysue said as she stood next to the throne. “The feast will be starting in half an hour. Dinner will be in the dining room, and we’ll be moving in here for drinks and the raffle.”

  “I’ll go make sure the raffle is all in order,” Kim said, dismissing herself from the conversation.

  “Since you’re both here,” Alburet said to Gerald and Marysue as Kim left, “I have gifts for you both from the Dark Lord.” He pulled out the two coins, holding one out to each of them. “He sent these with Mother. She informed us that these mean you are each granted a boon by the Dark Lord. All you need to do is hold the coin and think of what you want of him.”

  Gerald looked over the flat, unmarked metal disk. “Any idea of what that actually means?”

  “There be no way of knowin’ the minds of the gods. At a guess, I be thinkin’ ya could become Half-Infernal iffin ya want. Or mayhap ya just want some of the best gear he can get for ya. It may be even that he be willin’ to come to your aid iffin ya ask, with this boon.”

  Marysue shook her head, “I’m good with staying an elf. Besides, wasn’t becoming Half-Infernal part of the reason you stepped aside, Alburet? Maybe we should just hold onto them for now.”

  Gerald nodded, “Seems like a good idea. I wish I had an easy way to convey my thanks.”

  The coin warmed in his hand as the Dark Lord’s voice came from it. “You are welcome, Gerald Two-souled. The boon will remain until you have need of it.”

  Blinking at the coin, Gerald looked nonplussed. “Good to know.” The coin cooled in his hand almost as quickly as it had warmed. “Huh. He sure seems to be big on customer service.”

  Shaking his head, Alburet chuckled, “Having met him, I can say he isn’t the Devil depicted in our world. He seems to care for his people, and he’s been honest with me.”

  “Tomorrow, about half of our current lot will be back to only being around occasionally.” Gerald rested his chin on his palm as he shifted topics. “Hopefully we get as many back as we lose. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to so many who came with us on the trip for this place.”

  The others nodded in agreement, but Karen added, “It’s not goodbye. It’ll just feel like your friends moving out of town, but still be only an hour or so away. We know they’ll be here for an hour or more every day or three. If I recall, the ones who only signed for a single month were mostly people who have normal day jobs and have to get back to them.”

  “About what I thought as well,” Gerald nodded. “That’s still over a dozen of the guildies who were with us.”

  “It’s possible we’ll have over a hundred new recruits,” Fluffball mused. “I’m sure there’s been a fair bit of publicity about the game, and Alpha Company is probably pretty well known.”

  “That’s a good point,” Marysue nodded.

  “It’s almost time,” Gerald added a moment later, “maybe we should head over.”

  The dining room was pretty well packed with most of the guild in attendance. Gerald and Marysue headed off together toward one cluster of people that turned out to be Violet’s group. Alburet had spotted Ironhand and headed that way, Stacia’s arm linked with his. Karen and Fluff headed off in a different direction. “Going to chat with DrBone,” Karen said over her shoulder.

  “This is it for our group,” Ironhand said to Alburet. “I’m the only one who opted in for longer than a month.”

  Greenbeard sighed, “Work sucks like that. I took all my accrued vacation time to do the one month. It’ll be another year before I can do that again. Or I might end up taking a week or two at a time if other events come up.”

  “I’m opting back in for another month at least,” Leggylass said. “My sister already said she’d cover the shop for me if I wanted to extend the test.”

  “Shop?” Alburet asked.

  “My family does custom leatherworking. It’s a mom and pop place,” Leggylass grinned, “literally founded by my grandparents. We’re based in Kentucky, but have been doing really well with internet sales over the last thirty years. I’ve never really taken any time off until this came up.”

  “Tha’ be nice,” Stacia told her. “Family run places always be nicer.”

  “I’m with Greenbeard,” the Defender of the group, Joggernut, added. “It’s going to be back to the office wars for me. It sucks being an office drone. It almost makes me wish for something like that one book by James Patton. It was based on an immersive world like this, but about winning a competition based on cubicle life.”

  “Office Wars?” Beastman, the Berserker of the group laughed. “I loved that book. I don’t even know a place that still has mail clerks. I could see myself doing the IT job, though. At least I know how that works.”

  “We’ll be sad that you guys aren’t around as much, but make sure to swing by when you can,” Alburet said trying to derail the conversation so he could go.

  “Sure thing,” Greenbeard nodded.

  After saying their goodbyes to Ironhand’s group, Alburet stopped at Deirdre’s next. “How are you guys holding up?”

  “It be sad to be thinkin’ tha’ we be losin’ our compatriots so soon,” Deirdre told him.

  Most members of this group had the same story as the last group. They all had normal jobs, and no vacation time left. “Ironhand and possibly Leggylass will be without the rest of their group. You might think about combining forces with them.”

  “We’ll think about it,” Chris replied. He sighed, “It’s just hard that the people we’ve gotten to know won’t be here as often.”

  “Aye, but ya would still be with guild mates,” Stacia pointed out, “and ya will still be able to group up at times with ya original party.”

  Excusing themselves after that exchange, Alburet guided Stacia towards the head table where Gerald was waiting for them. They nodded to some of the others who called out, but didn’t stop to chat. They arrived at the same time as Karen and Fluff, seating themselves in the empty chairs along the right side of the table. Kim, Rolland, Vanessa, and Kauree were seated along the left side, with Gerald and Marysue in the middle.

  Gerald tapped the glass on the table before him, sending a clear bell-like chime through the room. Conversation dropped off, everyone turning their attention to the head table as a few latecomers hurriedly took their seats. Gerald waited until everyone was seated, then began speaking, “Alpha Company, welcome to our farewell feast for those leaving long term testing. We started out with a little over eighty people when the testing phase began. Today, we number seventy-six. Fifty of you joined us in our quest to take this Keep. Others opted to take a more… scenic view of the world.”

  Gerald paused for a second as a few chuckles rippled around the room. “This feast is for all of you. For those leaving long term testing, remember that you are still part of this guild and will always be welcome whenever you’re able to visit Alpha World. We don’t know yet what the next testing ph
ase will bring in terms of new recruits, but we have high hopes that our accomplishments as a guild will draw in many of the new testers. Tonight though, we’re here to celebrate all of you, who’ve helped us accomplish so much. After dinner the raffle will be held in the throne room and there will be drinks and dancing until midnight at the very least.”

  A loud cheer greeted him as he raised his glass to the guild. The room mirrored him, raising their glasses in toast. “To Alpha Company.”

  The toast echoed as everyone in the room replied, “To Alpha Company!” and drank. Gerald took his seat as the kitchen staff bustled in with loaded carts. Each table was served with a small buffet station containing a selection of salads, meats, cheeses and breads.

  The room was still boisterous with conversation, although somewhat muted as people began eating. Alburet looked around the room as he ate. A small part of him was sad to have stepped aside, though for the most part he was happy to know that the guild would only improve under Gerald’s leadership. He glanced to Stacia, who patted his knee, getting a smile from her as she picked up on his moment of melancholy.

  When it seemed like most people had finished eating, Gerald stood up and tapped his glass again for their attention. “We’ll be opening the raffle in half an hour. Everyone gets one ticket for free. You can buy up to nine more for one hundred gold each. Drop your tickets in the barrels for the items you’d like a chance to win.” Gerald offered Marysue his hand and the two of them went out to the throne room, where the raffle was being set up.

  Vanessa and Kauree already had the room set up. Each item to be raffled off was displayed on its own small table, with the barrel for people to deposit tickets in right in front of it. Another table was set up right by the door for people to get tickets. The room filled quickly, with most people buying the maximum number of tickets.

  Once everyone had a chance to look over the items and distribute their tickets the drawings began. Each drawing provoked cheers from the winners and groans of disappointment from everyone else who’d put a ticket in. The jewelry being offered was by far the most popular items, which wasn’t really surprising. None of the officers won a single item, for which Gerald breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Alpha Company,” Gerald called out after the last drawing. “I want to thank you again for being part of our guild. We’ve done a lot over this last month, not least of which was connecting as friends. Today we bid some of our friends, our comrades, a partial farewell. We look forward to seeing those of you leaving testing again, even if you can’t stay for days and weeks at a time anymore. We have four hours until midnight, so until then drink and be merry and enjoy each other’s company.”

  The party went on, with people trading tales of their adventures in Alpha World. Someone found some musical instruments and those who could play them set up in one room, providing music for dancing. Alburet and his friends circulated, taking the time to wish those who knew they couldn’t be back farewell and good luck to those few who hoped to be able to come back right away. He was asked several times through the evening why he’d stepped down as the guild leader, explaining each time his concerns about dealing with natives of Alpha World as a Half-Infernal.

  Eventually, midnight was upon them. Gerald called out for quiet once more, glass raised for one more toast as the last few minutes ticked away. “Swift journey to those who wish to speed back to us. For the rest, whether you join us again for an hour or a day or a week, we will welcome you back with joy. So, one last toast tonight.” He paused until everyone had a glass raised, “To Alpha Company, those that came first, those that come back, and those who will be joining us anew.”

  “Alpha Company!” the guild cheered back in various degrees of inebriation.

  Four minutes later, half of the guild vanished from the room as the month long test came to a close. Those remaining were taken aback by the sudden absence of their friends, even though they’d been expecting it. The room suddenly seemed far too quiet and empty. It was on that note that the party came to an end and people began to head to their beds for the night.

  Alburet hooked Stacia’s arm, “I think maybe it’s time for bed.”

  “Aye,” Stacia said sadly as she gazed toward Deirdre, who looked crestfallen.

  “We turning in?” Karen asked as she and Fluff came over to them.

  “That’s the idea,” Alburet replied.

  As he was turning to leave his Message icon started to flash. Frowning, he tapped the icon to pull the message up. He sighed deeply as he read it.

  Message from Victoria AI:

  Alburet, I would like to speak with you for a few moments tonight. I will wait for you to get to your room, just say my name and I’ll pull you to me.

  “Victoria wants to speak with me,” Alburet told the women, who had all looked to him at his sigh. “Let’s head upstairs and I’ll see what she wants.”

  Stacia gripped his arm a touch tighter. “Ya be steppin’ out of the world for just a moment, aye?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Ya will be back, aye?” she asked again, her worry sharp to his senses.

  “That is always my intent,” Alburet reassured her.

  “Al, you know what she is, right?” Karen said suddenly.

  “My contact with Mindblown,” Alburet shrugged. “She’s an AI that works with Alvin.”

  “She is the control force of Alpha World,” Fluff told him. “This whole ga... world is her creation.”

  “Aye, she be the Overlord,” Stacia agreed with the other two.

  Forehead creased in thought, Alburet remained silent for a few minutes as they climbed the stairs. “Maybe this conversation will be more than I’m anticipating.”

  “Just come back to us,” Stacia told him, her tone pleading.

  Meeting her eyes as they paused outside of their door, he gave her a knowing look. “I will do everything in my power to always come back to you. I have nothing left for me in the other world. The only people I care about are right here, right now. You, Karen, and Fluff, you three are what keeps me going now. I will do anything to be here with you three.”

  Stacia wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself against him tightly as Karen opened the door. Stacia guided them through the doorway, pressing him against the inner wall as the other two followed, shutting the door on the guard in the hall. “Ya are tasked with comin’ back to us. Ya are nay allowed to fail.”

  Quest: Keep your family whole

  Rewards: The love of three unique and beautiful women.

  Alburet snorted once as the quest appeared and vanished. It didn’t have a button to accept, auto-accepting as soon as it appeared. “Well, I can’t very well fail a quest from my favorite women, now can I?”

  Fluff and Karen bookended him on either side. “Damn right you can’t!” Karen told him.

  “We will be waiting,” Fluff said simply. She was, surprisingly, the least afraid of the three that held him.

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he told them, kissing each in turn. “Vicky, I’m ready,” he finally said after a few more minutes of being held.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Seamus found himself sitting across from Victoria. This time they weren’t in the library, but a cozy sitting room with a fireplace. “Different,” he remarked in greeting.

  “I thought a change of pace would be good. You have made major strides towards recovery,” Victoria replied with her normal warm tone. “How have you been feeling, since finding out the truth?”

  Looking about, Seamus found a table to his left with a cup of tea on it. He sipped at the tea to give himself a moment to formulate the words he wanted to convey. After the silence stretched on for a bit, he set the cup back down.

  “I don’t know,” he finally said. “It was hard to cope with, knowing that I had been lying to myself this whole time. The fact that all of my friends and family are dead. I would have just given up if not for Stacia, Karen, and Julia. Being able to feel their emotions makes it impossible
to lie to myself about what they think of me.”

  Victoria had sipped at her own tea while waiting, setting it aside when he finally began to talk. When he paused she spoke, “You are saying that without them there to support you, it would have harmed you to know the truth?”

  “Probably. I mean, it still hurts to know the truth. But I was apparently killing myself by denying the truth,” he looked into the fire for a moment. “I still don’t understand that part. How was denying the truth harming me?”

  “Your psyche was tearing itself apart. A number of people in similar situations might have developed split or multiple personalities as the trauma kept increasing. You did not take that path. Instead, you fragmented the truth and buried it, replacing it with your own version of reality. If it had just been Kaylee, you might have recovered on your own. Unfortunately, shortly after that your father passed away, and as you were trying to cope with that your mother passed as well. That was another truth you buried. Then David died, and his letter made you once again confront the truth of Kaylee. That almost broke you. You probably don’t recall the many weeks you spent under close observation. It was right after you seemed to stabilize, coping by using false memories, that you were attacked while in the yard. You killed your attacker. That was right before we approached the Department of Justice about using you as our pilot candidate for the program.”